'Attack on Hindus cannot be tolerated': V-P Jagdeep Dhankhar slams global silence on Hindu persecution, calls out ‘so-called custodians of human rights’

Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar voiced strong criticism on Friday regarding the "global silence" over the "plight of Hindus" in neighbouring countries, accusing the international community, whom he termed "so-called moral preachers and custodians of human rights," of ignoring their suffering. While speaking at the National Human Rights Commission’s foundation day programme in New Delhi, Dhankhar remarked, "They are totally exposed. They are mercenaries for something which is totally antithetical to human rights." He emphasized the severity of the situation by highlighting the "barbarity, torture, and traumatised experience of boys, girls, and women" in some countries, and lamented the desecration of Hindu religious places.

Without specifically naming the countries involved, Dhankhar urged greater attention to the humanitarian crises faced by Hindus, saying, "Look at our religious places being sacrileged... Being too tolerant of such transgressions is not appropriate." His remarks come on the heels of recent attacks on Hindu temples in Bangladesh, which were condemned by India's Ministry of External Affairs as "deplorable."

Dhankhar further pointed out the importance of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), asserting, "Look at the prime example of the Citizenship Amendment Act. There couldn’t be a better gesture of social magnanimity collectively expressed by an act of Parliament," which provides fast-track citizenship to non-Muslim migrants fleeing persecution from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh.

Addressing the use of human rights as a foreign policy tool, Dhankhar stressed that it should not be weaponized, stating, "Naming and shaming is a degraded form of diplomacy. You have to preach only what you practice." In a veiled reference to the U.S., he remarked, "Look at our school system — we don’t have the kind of shootings that some countries claiming to be very developed have on a regular basis."

Dhankhar’s remarks reflect his broader concern for global inconsistency when addressing human rights violations, and his firm stance that India’s approach to humanitarian crises, especially in protecting religious minorities, should serve as a model for others.